Most people infected by HCMV after birth are healthy and show no symptoms. The other develop a syndrome similar to mononucleosis or glandular fever, with prolonged elevated temperature, and mild hepatitis. After infection, the virus remains latent in the body for the rest of the life. Overt disease rarely occurs, unless immunity is suppressed either by drugs, infection or senescence. Initial HCMV infection, which is often asymptomatic, is followed by a prolonged, latent infection during which the virus resides in mononuclear cells causing no detectable damage or clinical illness.

Type of analysis

Molecular

Type of biological material

Cervical smear

Analyzed genes

Analysis description

Analysis consists of the identification of HCMV in the biological material using PCR technique